New photography exhibition challenges how western art depicts Black women

For centuries, western art has objectified black women, depicting them as exoticised and enslaved. Challenging that is a new photography exhibition at Somerset House called ‘Black Venus’.

At its heart are three Venuses, including a South African woman who was paraded around Europe as a freak show exhibit called the ‘Hottentot Venus’.

The show displays these historic stereotypes and invites contemporary artists to confront them with their own works.

Kiran Moodley went to meet its curator, Aindrea Emelife.